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Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Alex Iwobi: I was slide-tackling my sister's dolls before I could walk
When Fulham run out at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime, you may think, knowing it is his 29th birthday, you see a broader smile on the face of Alex Iwobi but, while he may be relieved to have missed the traditional training-ground birthday slapping, he will not be any happier than usual. 'I'll just see it as another day,' he says. 'I celebrate every day like it's my birthday. That's how I live my life.' It is a life that feels predestined. His uncle from his mother's side is the legend that is Jay-Jay Okocha, his father played to club level in Nigeria and so it is no surprise to learn that Iwobi was slide-tackling before he could walk properly. 'My sister's dolls, my action figures, balloons, even if it was a Coca-Cola can that's on the floor, instead of picking it up, I'd go and slide-tackle it,' he says. Does he ever see elements of his father and uncle in his own game? 'Not to diss my dad, but I don't think I am anything like my dad,' he smiles. 'Apparently my dad was just a runner.' He pauses. 'Then again, I can run. I feel like I got the stamina from him. His football ability was OK. My uncle was an attacking player, maybe more in a free role, which is what I do. And he always liked to express himself when he had the ball at his feet, which is what I see in myself.' Chuka Iwobi is famous for being seen out and about wearing replica kit bearing his son's name. 'Well, to be fair, any person who finds him a T-shirt his size, he'd wear it because I have a lot of friends that play football from childhood, so the other day he was wearing an Ola Aina [Iwobi's Nigeria team-mate] shirt. He likes to shop at M&S, no disrespect to M&S, but he'd rather wear a football shirt than his M&S clothes. 'My dad gets so much pleasure seeing other people do well, especially me and my sister. For example, my sister Marie started singing recently. She gave her first performance, and I could see how proud my mum and dad were, and I could see that they get more joy from us achieving than themselves. 'She likes to sing like she's Beyoncé. She thinks she's Beyoncé,' he grins, 'but to be fair, she's really talented.' If only there were a member of the Iwobi family who worked in the music industry. Step forward Iwobi, who is unusual among Premier League players for having a discography entry on his Wikipedia page, which lists two tracks, Don't Shoot and What's Luv? which he wrote as well as sings on. He has even performed in front of a live audience for a YouTube Champions League show. 'My sister did get on to me yesterday saying that we need to do something. I made songs with her for banter, but she said that we should release something soon, so I said, 'Yeah, don't worry, we'll work on something.' 'I will say it, I'm going to put pressure on myself, I'm going to say it's definitely going to happen.' Which will be music to the ears of Marco Silva, his manager, who recently said he would very much like his midfielder to pursue such interests. This is because word leaked out that Iwobi has been known in his spare time to play in five-a-side matches as a means of ensuring he does not forget the joy of a kick-about with mates. Naturally, he has to go in disguise. 'It's normally winter so it's cold and I can get away wearing a snood and a balaclava, everyone just normally sees the eyes and the mouth, but I get hot sometimes and obviously it's hard to hide my hair,' he says. 'I've got colourful hair [that he has been growing for eight years] so people do know me but when I'm in the moment playing, no one bothers me. 'The last time I probably went was November, but I remember stopping because the Christmas period in football gets hectic. I normally go there to just have fun and express myself, enjoy it, feel free because playing football can be stressful, especially when you're not going well. So that was my escapism, but at the same time I do get why people say don't go play five-a-side because it can get a bit dangerous, you might get injured but it kind of helped me stay sharp.' Did his managers at Arsenal, then Everton, know about his escapades? 'I think some managers knew,' he says. 'Most of the players knew because I had most of the players on my private chat and I told them, 'I'm going.' I just love playing with my friends, just the banter, feeling free, it makes me laugh. That's when I'm probably at my happiest. 'No one's ever said not to do it, they've always said be careful, because they know how much I enjoy it and I've never, touch wood, been injured from it.' And what does Silva think? 'I haven't been in a long while but obviously it's come out and he knows and he's asked me about it.' Did he ask him about it with a smile or a frown? 'There's a smile,' Iwobi says. 'I don't know what sort of smile it is but there's a smile.' But he can see why Silva might be worried? 'Of course, no coach wants their players to go and get injured outside of football. He just said, 'Did you go?' and I said, 'Yeah,' but I haven't been since November, December. 'I think it's probably safer I don't go during the season.' Iwobi was often given negative general feedback as he made his way through the Arsenal academy but made 149 appearances for the north London club before joining Everton in 2019. 'I think the turning point for me was after Afcon [in 2022]. I came back to Everton having a red card [against Tunisia] and they were saying you might have to go, and I thought, 'No, this is where I have to prove myself,' and I had a manager in Frank Lampard who gave me the opportunity to do so. Ever since then I've literally taken it on myself.' It helped that Silva, who signed Iwobi when at Goodison, wanted him when he took over at Fulham. 'He always says, 'There's a reason why I brought you back to Fulham,' ' Iwobi says, and the midfielder has been instrumental in the team's push for a European place this season. But the side have a tendency to outwit the bigger teams, drawing with and then defeating Liverpool, the champions, for example, only to drop points against those further down the table. 'We do talk about it among ourselves, like, why are we able to beat Liverpool and not get the three points against other teams? We try to figure it out,' he says. It takes a while to find something that Iwobi finds nerve-racking. He is not nervous when he plays, no matter the occasion, such as when he came off the bench in the Europa League final for Arsenal in 2019, and not when rapping in front of strangers. 'I really don't get nervous. I wish I did, because sometimes people say that it helps, but no, the singing was obviously a different sort of stage, a different sort of feeling, because when it's football you've got your team-mates to help you and it's what you can do with your feet, whereas on stage, you've got a mic in your hand. I was listening out for when do I start, my breathing technique, so there's a lot to focus on. And because it was my first time, it took a while to get used to. But I wasn't nervous, I was excited.' OK, would he jump out of a plane? 'Impossible,' he says. 'I'm afraid of heights. A lot of people know I'm afraid of heights. I went to Duck and Waffle [a restaurant in a 61-storey London skyscraper] the other day, and you have to go up a lift, and it's glass. I had to close my eyes. I'm afraid of heights. I just feel sick. That's the only time I feel uncomfortable.' He was not uncomfortable, exactly, when he arrived at Fulham two years ago to be given the No 22 shirt, even though he had set up Project 17 to handle his charity and music interests. 'I wouldn't say it was annoying because, at the end of the day, I was excited to have a new chapter in my life and move back to London,' he says. 'Obviously, Fulham's a great club. So I wasn't really focused on the number. At the end of the day, a number's a number. 'But I did speak to Bernd Leno saying, 'Next season, please can I have your No17?' 'When I moved into the first-team changing room [at Arsenal], they said you have to pick a number that's lower than 39, and the number that was available was 17. And ever since I've been 17. 'Project 17 is something that me and my close friends came up with. We all have nicknames and my nickname is 17 just because of football. When I was at Arsenal, they used to call me Big 17. So then it just became a thing with my friends when I go back to my area. 'Oh, 17, 17.' Instead of saying my full name because sometimes I like to be low key and they wouldn't want everyone to know it's Alex Iwobi and everyone turns around. 'So they would just say, '17, 17,' and it just became a habit. When I moved to Everton and we wanted to do charity stuff, my friend said the best name was Project 17. And that's how it came about.' He was moved most by helping out at a homeless shelter in Dagenham at Christmas giving out food and clothing. 'When people come up to me and they say, 'Oh you don't understand how much this means,' and they're just almost breaking down into tears, that's proper sweet, that's emotional. I need to do more things like that.'
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ja Rule Breaks Silence About 50 Cent Trolling Irv Gotti's Death, Was Ready To 'Go Nuclear'
Ja Rule hasn't responded too many times to 50 Cent's antics, but when the king of trolling mocked the death of Irv Gotti, Ja Rule was ready to go 'nuclear' on him. During a recent visit to The Breakfast Club, Rule opened up about the aftermath of Gotti's tragic passing from a hemorrhagic stroke, just two months ago. Shortly after the news broke, his longtime nemesis, 50, wasted no time adding fuel to the fire with a insensitive Instagram post. In a carousel of images, the TV mogul shared a photo of himself smoking next to a tombstone marked 'R.I.P.,' with a caption reading, 'I'm smoking on dat Gotti pack, nah God bless him [white dove emoji] LOL.' Addressing 50's post, Ja expressed how 'goofy' he thinks Fif's antics are and admitted that trolling Gotti was almost his last straw. 'I see some of the things that [50 Cent] gets involved in, feuds. 'Grow up, my ni**a.' That's what I be thinking to myself,' he expressed. 'It's goofy sh*t,' he continued. 'Cause I was hot. I was ready to go nuclear and sh*t.' The 'What's Luv?' rapper credited his constraint to his longtime friend Preme who told him, ''You know, Rule? Here's what you gotta understand about who we are and what we are: We are the masters of self-defense.'' In response, Rule recalled him responding, 'I love that, because I don't want to start or make trouble with people, but if we gotta get into it … I'll f**kin' end it.' He then went on to clarify that he doesn't go looking for conflict. 'That's who we are as men. Here to protect our family, protect our home, defend our honor, our names, our reputation,' he said. 'I'm not here to be a bully and bother people. That's not what I'm here to do but I am a master of self-defense.' Having been signed to Gotti's Murder Inc. label in the late '90s, the 49-year-old reflected on the complexity of his relationship with 50. Noting that while he rarely addresses their beef in public, Ja admitted that he does occasionally feel compelled to respond to the 'In Da Club' icon. 'He keeps it going,' Ja continued. 'I'll go to the circus once in a while. I really like to stay clear of that sh*t … I like to have fun sometimes. I poke jabs at him, too, but that's all that really is. To me, it's silly. We're both successful Black men and I think the focus should be on continuing to make sure that we pay it forward.' Irving 'Irv Gotti' Lorenzo Jr., suffered a stroke last year and at that time 50 ridiculed him with a reference to his 2002 hit 'Wanksta' — a track widely believed to be aimed at Ja Rule. In an Instagram post, he captioned an image of Gotti walking with a cane, writing: 'Damn homie, in high school you was the man homie, WTF happened to you?' He continued taunting him with, 'I want Irv to get well, [raised eyebrow emoji] so he can have to watch my next wave [wave emoji] LOL.' At the time, a rep for Gotti attributed his health issues to his ongoing battle with diabetes. 'Irv has been struggling with diabetes for years, which caused him to have a minor stroke over six months ago,' they said to TMZ. 'He has since changed his diet to eating more healthy. He's been successful in making a full recovery.' However, the music exec succumbed to his conditions. Gotti is survived by his children Angie, Sonny, and Jonathan Wilson; his brother and Murder Inc. co-founder Chris Gotti; his mother, Nee Nee Lorenzo; and sisters Tina and Angie. Following the news of his passing, Gotti's children released a heartfelt statement on his Instagram, reflecting on his lasting legacy: 'Our dad was an incredible man, a true visionary who transformed the hip-hop industry and changed the game for artists and fans alike. His passion for music and dedication to his craft inspired many, and his contributions will continue to influence future generations. As we navigate this difficult time, we kindly ask for privacy while we grieve the loss of our dad, son, brother, uncle, and friend,' the family shared. 'We take comfort in knowing that his spirit will live on through his music and the love he shared with all of us.' Take a listen to Ja Rule speak on 50 Cent trolling Irv Gotti and his full interview with The Breakfast Club above. More from 50 Cent Trolls Irv Gotti After Learning He Reportedly Suffered Another Stroke Young Buck Returns To Prison On Bond Violation, And 50 Cent Can't Help But Crack Jokes 50 Cent Thinks Diddy Could Win Federal Sex Trafficking Trial If He Pulls Off This One Move
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Irv Gotti, who shaped 1990s hip-hop, dies aged 54
Irv Gotti, the music producer who created hits for Ja Rule, Ashanti, DMX and Jennifer Lopez, has died at the age of 54. Best known as the founder of the record label Murder Inc., his signature style of blending hip-hop beats with smooth R&B melodies shaped the sound of the charts in the late 90s and early 2000s. As a writer and producer, his multi-platinum hits included the J-Lo and Ja Rule duets Ain't It Funny and I'm Real, the Ashanti tracks Foolish and Always on Time, and Fat Joe's What's Luv?. "People get confused because it sells like pop music," he told the Guardian in 2002. "But we make black music first and foremost, and all our records is 'hood first'." A cause of death has not been announced, but the music mogul had battled diabetes-related issues and suffered what was described as a "minor stroke" in early 2024. At the time, Gotti's representatives said he had changed his diet and had been "successful in making a full recovery". Born Irving Lorenzo in Hollis, Queens, in 1971, his career began as a producer for New York MC Mic Geronimo, under the moniker DJ Irv. His big break came when he contributed to Jay-Z's debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. The rapper christened him the "don of hip-hop", renaming him Irv Gotti in reference to the mafia boss John Gotti. His next move was to sign gravel-voiced rapper DMX to the legendary rap label Def Jam Records. The label was in the middle of a rough patch, losing ground to Sean Combs' flashy, aspirational Bad Boy Inc label. DMX was the antidote to Combs' style - stripped back, raw and connected to the street. With Gotti as executive producer, his debut album, It's Dark and Hell is Hot, sold four million copies in the US and spawned the hip-hop classic Ruff Ryders' Anthem. It also saved Def Jam's reputation. "When we were on bended knee, [Irv] brought the heat and saved our asses," said Lyor Cohen, who was chief executive of the label from 1998 to 2004, and now serves as YouTube's head of music. Acknowledging his success, Cohen gave Gotti his own label, which he ran with his brother Chris. They chose the name Murder Inc after watching a documentary about the 20th-century New York organised crime group of the same name - reckoning that they could put out hit records in the same way their crime syndicate had put out hits for murder. Their first signing was Ja Rule, who saw massive commercial success with hits like Holla Holla, Livin' It Up, Always On Time and the UK number one Wonderful. Gotti also discovered the singer Ashanti as a teenager, and partnered her with his rap artists for a sprinkle of melodic fairydust. As a solo act, she also had a run of top 10 hits in the early 2000s with songs like Foolish, Rock Wit U and Only U. Gotti earned a Grammy for co-producing Ashanti's eponymous debut in 2002, which won best contemporary R&B album. Murder Inc also lent credibility to Jennifer Lopez's music career, with popular remixes of I'm Real and Love Don't Cost A Thing giving her frothy pop hits an urban edge. Overall, Gotti was credited as a producer on 28 US chart hits, from artists including Mary J Blige, Fat Joe and Kanye West. His career faced a setback in the mid-2000s after the FBI raided Murder Inc's offices, as part of an investigation into alleged ties with drug kingpin Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff. Gotti and his brother were charged with money laundering but were later acquitted of all charges. The accusations also formed part of a long-standing feud between Gotti and the rap star 50 Cent. As part of their search warrant, Federal investigaters alleged that McGriff and employees of Murder Inc had plotted to assassinate the rapper as revenge for the 2000 song Ghetto Qu'ran, which detailed McGriff's criminal past. Prior to that, one of 50 Cent's associates had allegedly robbed Ja Rule in New York, triggering a run of diss tracks and altercations between the pair, culminating in a recording studio brawl where 50 Cent was stabbed. Murder Inc rapper Black Child took credit for the attack on record, claiming it was an act of self-defence. 50 Cent later downplayed the severity of the incident, but he continued to take pot shots at Gotti and Murder Inc throughout his career. After the controversies, Gotti rebranded Murder Inc as The Inc. He signed singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton and continued to release albums by Ashanti, but the label struggled to match its former glories. Last July, Gotti was sued by for sexual assault and rape by an anonymous accuser, who said she had been in a relationship with the music mogul between 2020 and 2022. Through his lawyer, Gotti categorically denied the allegations, saying they "represent an affront to women who have truly suffered abuse". Gotti is survived by his three children, Angie, Sonny and Jonathan Wilson; his mother, Nee Nee Lorenzo; sisters Tina and Angie; and his brother Chris Lorenzo, with whom he co-founded Murder Inc. "Def Jam has lost one of its most creative soldiers who was hip-hop," said Lyor Cohen in a statement. "He comes from a very tight beautiful family from Queens and it's an honour and a privilege to have known him. Irv, you will be missed."
